Sarah Penner is the debut author of The Lost Apothecary, to be translated in eleven languages worldwide. She works full-time in finance and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women's Fiction Writers Association. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida, with their miniature dachshund, Zoe. To learn more, visit slpenner.com.
Eleanore of Avignon (2024) Elizabeth DeLozier "Eleanore of Avignon is an ambitious historical novel, but debut novelist Elizabeth DeLozier gives the impression she's been at this for years. I found myself highlighting certain passages, studying the way DeLozier crafted her characters and their relationships with one another. The story's protagonist, Elea, immediately drew me in. She's tender yet fiercely loyal, and although the story takes place in another era, her perspective felt relatable and her struggles relevant to women today. Eleanore of Avignon is an impressive debut, sure to be loved by readers who also enjoy Maggie O'Farrell and Sarah Dunant."
The Stone Witch of Florence (2024) Anna Rasche "Impeccably researched with vibrant prose, The Stone Witch of Florence is magnificent. Fans of Katy Hays's The Cloisters will be in awe of this breathtaking debut."
The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern (2024) Lynda Cohen Loigman "Lynda Cohen Loigman has done it again with The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern a feel-good story brimming with twists, tinctures, and a few love spells gone wrong. Readers will resonate with Augusta's struggle to balance work and love, and they'll commiserate with her lifelong disappointment over "the one that got away." Or did he? Life doesn't always work out how we planned, but sometimes, the truth--and redemption--are merely waiting to be uncovered. One of the most satisfying endings I've read in a long time."
The Crescent Moon Tearoom (2024) Stacy Sivinski "With a dash of fate and a sprinkle of fortune-telling, Stacy Sivinski has given readers an impossibly endearing tale about three tea-reading witches lured their separate ways. Steeped in magic and sisterhood, The Crescent Moon Tearoom will enchant and delight readers with its whimsical charm. Like brewing a favorite tea in a treasured mug, there's something uniquely inviting about this book. It's sure to be a reader favorite!"
The House on Biscayne Bay (2024) Chanel Cleeton "Reminiscent of Rebecca and Mexican Gothic, Cleeton has spun an eerie, unpredictable tale of secrets in old-world Florida. No one is to be trusted in The House on Biscayne Bay, and Cleeton will leave even the most discerning readers in awe as she reveals twist after twist. Brilliantly done!"
How to Solve Your Own Murder (2024) (Castle Knoll Files, book 1) Kristen Perrin "Debut novelist Kristen Perrin has done the impossible in delivering readers a quintessential English murder mystery with a fresh, unconventional approach. Idyllic country village? Check. Amateur sleuth? Check. But a fortune teller's grim prediction coming true sixty years later? Now that makes for an enthralling tale. There's no shortage of entertaining, well-rounded characters in this charming and multilayered whodunit, a perfect shelf companion alongside reader favorites like Agatha Christie, Richard Osman, and Nita Prose."
The Housekeepers (2023) Alex Hay "Rollicking fun and entirely original... Anyone who relishes a good party gone wrong will devour this."
The Spectacular (2023) Fiona Davis "Fiona Davis returns with yet another dazzling novel set in one of New York City's most iconic venues: Radio City Music Hall. Set in the 1950s, Marion Brooks is the Rockette's newest dancer, but she soon learns that the stage is a cutthroat place for a young woman -- and so is the big city. When an elusive bomber targets Radio City, Marion begins to hunt for the truth, but doing so puts herself and her family in peril. Especially after she realizes her family has hidden a few truths of their own...Secrets, sleuthing, young romance, and glittering kicklines: Fiona Davis' latest has it all. Theater lovers, or anyone who dreams of a life onstage, will relish this one."
The Last Lifeboat (2023) Hazel Gaynor "Hazel Gaynor's novels have a way of gripping a reader's heartstrings, and her latest, The Last Lifeboat, is no exception. Inspired by the 1940 sinking of the SS City of Benares, The Last Lifeboat imagines what might have happened in a lifeboat lost at sea and the child evacuees onboard. Gaynor's latest is a glimpse into the anguish amid the families impacted by mass evacuations during WWII, but more than this, it is a story of bravery and surrendering to hope--especially for two women facing the most unimaginable of circumstances. A poignant, stirring tale. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time to come."
Hotel Laguna (2023) Nicola Harrison "A quintessential coming-of-age tale, teeming with rich sensory detail and starring a loveable main character. Hazel Francis will capture your heart from the very first page. She has spunk and grit, and every woman can relate to some part of her journey-regret, desire, uncertainty. Hotel Laguna is a reminder that home is not always a place, but a state of contentment. A charming, sensual tale-Harrison's readers will devour this one."
The Secret Book of Flora Lea (2023) Patti Callahan Henry "A spellbinding tale of hope and perseverance, The Secret Book of Flora Lea is as enchanting and whimsical as the Whisperwood fairytale hidden within its pages. It reminds us that a happily-ever-after isn't out of reach--so long as we heed the tiny voice within, whispering that the real magic of the story may be closer than we think."
The Second Ending (2023) Michelle Hoffman "To say I loved it would be an understatement; this was quite unlike anything I've read. The one-liners had me laughing nearly every page, and I found it so moving."
The Chateau (2023) Jaclyn Goldis "Four best friends, a luxe chateau in the French countryside, and a shocking crime: Jaclyn Goldis brilliantly balances sensuality and suspense. When I wasn't trying to figure out the whodunit, I was reveling in the book's luscious descriptions and millennial wit. A twisty, well-paced murder mystery that never fully lets go--readers will gasp, even at the final page. Brilliantly done."
The House is on Fire (2023) Rachel Beanland "THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE by Rachel Beanland is precisely the sort of story that made me fall in love with historical fiction long ago: Beanland's sophomore novel sheds light on real events and real people, but it's reimagined in a way that allows readers to viscerally experience that fateful night in 1811--to watch, from their own theater seat, as bravery unfolds in real-time. THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE is gripping and imaginative, but Beanland takes great care with the story, paying homage to the unsung heroes who stepped forward during, and after, the tragedy. A heart-rending and remarkable story."
The Last Beekeeper (2023) Julie Carrick Dalton "Dalton's second novel, The Last Beekeeper, buzzes with as much emotion and urgency as her debut, Waiting for the Night Song. It is so much more than a tale about bees: it's a story about humanity, determination, and honoring the delicate world in which we all live."
The Golden Spoon (2023) Jessa Maxwell "Jessa Maxwell's debut is a deliciously entertaining whodunit - charming characters, baking mishaps, and a mouthwatering murder mystery. Readers and baking enthusiasts will savor every bite of The Golden Spoon."
Weyward (2023) Emilia Hart "A spellbinding story about what may transpire when the natural world collides with a legacy of witchcraft."
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall (2023) Katie Lumsden "In her atmospheric debut, The Secrets of Hartwood Hall, Katie Lumsden enthralls us with a quintessential manor-home mystery. Fans of gothic literature will savor the peculiar characters, the abandoned corridors, the deceptions and twists behind every door... Ultimately a story about women and the haunting secrets they keep, Lumsden's debut reminds us never to trust first appearances. A mesmerizing debut!"
The Villa (2023) Rachel Hawkins "Cleverly-narrated via past and present timelines...The Villa teems with sexual tension, festering tempers, and questionable friendships. Hawkins' latest thriller reminds us that no matter what truths we think we've stumbled upon, writers cannot always be trusted--and certainly not the tales they tell."
The Cloisters (2022) Katy Hays "Sultry and sinister...Hays's debut teems with sexual tension, the secrets of divination, and scholarly obsessiveness. With a jaw-dropping twist at the end, The Cloisters serves as a warning to us all: we may think we know what life has in store, but fate and fortune tend to turn their own tricks."
Hester (2022) Laurie Lico Albanese "Full of lush and colorful prose, this is a tale of one woman's determination and self-reliance amid the 'new world' of 19th-century Salem, which teems with festering secrets and alluring prospects. A message of resilience, Hester proves that a woman will do whatever she must to prosper, even when she is left with nothing but courage-and a few secrets of her own."
The Maid (2022) (Molly the Maid mystery, book 1) Nita Prose "It's impossible not to love Molly, an endearing, eccentric hotel maid. . . . As in any cozy whodunit, clean appearances may in fact hide a few smudges. The twists and surprises keep coming until the very last page of this delightfully fresh debut."
The Pilot's Daughter (2021) Meredith Jaeger "I've long been a fan of Meredith Jaeger, and her latest, THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER, is her best work yet. Ambitious Ellie is looking for clues that her missing father, a WWII pilot, is still alive. But amid her search, she discovers he may have harbored a dark secret. Ellie's search begins to intermingle with the scandalous history of her aunt Iris, whose former experience as a showgirl brings us straight into the heart of the 1920s Jazz Age--rife with its own unsolved mystery. In this layered tale of mystery and discovery, Jaeger masterfully develops the characters of two brave women who ultimately find closure by way of determination, self-empowerment, and forgiveness."
Meeting in Positano (2021) Goliarda Sapienza "Set amid the landscape of the enchanting, evolving Amalfi coast, Meeting in Positano pays homage to the mystifying and impenetrable affection between two women. It is like reading a love letter from the past, one rife with the truths about friendship that most of us wouldn’t dare utter aloud: desire, envy, nostalgia, adoration. Complex and evocative, this story is not to be missed."
